Soon after the tsunami you went everywhere looking for help. We at ECCO felt we were too small and without any funds to help you. You too felt that way.

Yet, within a month ECCO-1 arrived. And today you have ECCO2 and 3. Also, today we have with us a few of the many unseen faces who are helping you. Please join me in welcoming Xavier, Vera and Annie from France, Ramya Nageswaran from Singapore and V Chandrasekaran from Chennai.

Xavier Ray is a friend of Anuradha Bakshi in Delhi whose poor school children have already committed a boat for you. Ray's organisation, "Enfances Indiennes", helps Indian children. Its members are successful because they are as innocent and open as children. Ramya sits in Singapore but her passion is for India and that passion electrified her friends and made them come to your help. Recently, Tibetans were here with you and they produced a large gift for you simply out of their love. VC moved in to help only because he knew Navaz and Sabita were involved in helping you.

See how help comes rolling? ECCO has no money but it has all these friends who believe in ECCO. Because of all the support of people like them, little ECCO today announces with certainty that we will give you at least 15 boats.[Applause] But that's not all: there will be more.[Loud, extended applause]

Understand this: to help, all you need is a good heart ['manam'] and a good motive, not money ['panam'].

ECCO has no inner motive. It has no religious, political or commercial agenda. But it has an open motive. It has an environmental agenda and an agenda for good governance in the land.

All we want to do is to raise your awareness about your rights. But we also want to teach you your responsibilities. That is why we in ECCO believe in Gandhi's ways. He was an obstinate man but also an enemy of violence and divisions.

ECCO's struggle is for the protection of the environment and the rule of law. We urge you to increase your awareness, sink your differences and join us in protecting the environment and make India a better place.

Under the agreement entered into with the KKKuppam Fishermen's Panchayat, they are free to nominate the final user of a donated boat as long as the boat is not sold and stays within the village. They merely have to inform ECCO of the change of ownership within 30 days.

KKKuppam welcomes Vera, Annie, Ramya and XavierECCO-2 and -3 join ECCO-1Xavier distracts the KKKuppam School Choir just before it delivers its welcome songThe meeting. Click for a larger viewWomen of KKKuppamReady to sailSome young leaders of the village who stand behind ECCO

Nigel with ECCO's pocket dynamo, Sabita

ECCO's work attracts attention:

Nigel Walker, of California, USA came down to KKKuppam, because he read and liked what ECCO is doing. He was with us for a week, quietly video-capturing ECCO's work.